Connecting device



Dec. 8, w BURCHETT QONNECTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 23, 1929- l/WE/VTOE 6. W BuRcHErr ATTORNEY member. f

Patented Dec. 8, 1931 narrsn smrss rA rE roFFicE nasoimronrns, rnoonroaA'rnn,

YORK

enonen w. BUnonE-rT, or, PEEKS'KILL, NEW Yornr, .As s G on To BELL TELEPHONE or NEW YORK, N. Y., A coaPoRArIoN or NEW,

CONNECTING n vrcE Application ma mar-n, 1923. Serial No. 401, 57. V

This invention relates'to connecting devices and more particularly to connecting devlces adaptable for use in connection with artificial larynges.

It is an object of this invention to prevent accidental dislodgment from the outlet of the tra'chea'of the connecting means, which connects the trachea to an inlet to an artificial larynx. I

Features of this invention reside in a spring pressedtube 'whichengages the trachea opens ing and is maintained pressed thereto, and in a hemispherical collar, which encircles the tube-and is pressed against the neck so that air leakage between the tube and the'trachea opening is prevented.

Other features, including a, in the spring pressed tube, above mentioned, and which may be removed from'the spring pressed tube and washed and sterilized, and a neck band attachment by which the connecting device is'supported, in position, are

shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a' a pictorial view showing the application of the improved connecting device to a person using an artificial larynx; Fig. 2 is a view of a I person using an artificial larynx with the new trachea connection inserted in the tracheaor wind. pipe; Fig. 3 is a front-elevational view of the trachea-connection with the ends of a neck band attached thereto; Fig. 4 1s a side elevational view of the trachea connection with certain portions broken away to disclose the spring mechanism and the inner tube In a good many instances where persons have been afflicted with some malignant d1s-' ease of the throat or larynx, a surgical operation has been performed and'the-larynx re-- In such cases the w nd pipe or trachea is terminated man openlng made m moved.

the base of the neck;

Removal of the larynx deprives the person I of the power of speech and to'overcom'e this a handicap an artificial voice instrument commonly known as an artificial 'larynx has been provided. This artificial is usually an instrumenthaving an lnlet-connectionfor air, a vibratory element, by which a tone is produced and an outlettube Which'may be tube inserted either an aipertured plate held over the tra chea opening or a tube inserted therein. This aperturecl plate orinserted tube is known as atrachea connection. i a

The aperturedplate' type of connection having'no direct connection with the trachea. openlng'but depending entirely for support upon a' harness strapped aboutthe neck'and shoulders of "the user, frequently becomes moved out of line of the trachea opening or will not follow the natural movements of the neck of the user. I i i When a tube has been used as a trachea connection it has been found that the tube Wlll often 7 become accidentally dislodged from the trachea opening or will be expelled therefrom by natural movements of the neck muscles.

The connection device Qof-this invention is adapted for use as a trachea connection andinserted in and withdrawnfrom the outer tubeso that the inner tube may be washed or sterilized and. the bore of the tube cleared of. U

such secretions as maywfrom time .to time collect therein; 7 a '1 I i The connecting device described :hereinis adaptableto all of'therequirements above mentioned both inner and outer tubes may be used if desired or if only one tube is required the inner'tube-may be removed and the outer tube suitablyconnectedto an artificial larynx. The ,tubeo'r tubes may: be; cut offat any point will be explained..

along the unbroken portion if shortening of the tube is desired. a

In the drawings in which like numerals represent like parts, 1 is a tapered tube preferably having a curvature as shown to correspond with the curvature of the outlet end- I of a trachea; 2 is'alhemispherical bell-like likemember 2 and theloose flange 3 is. a:

spring 9.,whichconstantly urges the loose flange 3 toward the larger end of the tapered tube 1. and presses'the bell-like member-2 against thev neck of a user. Tov prevent the spring Sirom pushing the loose-flange 3 off the end of the tapered tube 1 there is pro vided-a flange 10 which'by. suitable means,.

such for instance, as a bayonet-connection 111, is secured to thelarger' endof the tapered tube,1., On an extended. portion .12- of the flangelO is rotatively. secured a latch orv turn button 13havinga fin 14:. topreventremoval of an inner. tube from the-tapered tube 1 as Slidingfwithin.the tapered tube '1, is an inner tube 15 of slightly smaller. diameter thanthe tubel and-havinga taper and curvature corresponding substantially with the ,taper and curvature of thetube 1 and having at its larger end a flange 16 provided with means 17 .by; which it may be grasped and withdrawn from the tapered tube 1. The

flange-16 has a cut; outportio-n 18 for accommodationpt the latch or turn butto1r13.

' The inner tube 15in Fig, 4: is shown partially withdrawn from the tapered tube- 1 but when inserteditherein to full. traverse, the smaller end 19 extends down toand makes 5 light contact with the smalleraend 200i the tubel. The flange 16.0n the larger end of the inner tube 15.also-engages the flange 10. -By rotating the .latch or turnbutton 13. so that a fi n l l is'moved over the flange 16 shown in Fig; 3, the inner tube 15 is held against dislodgment from the tube -1.

7 To use the connectln'g device as a trachea connectlon, in connection Wltll an artificial larynx, the tube 1 is inserted inthe trachea 21 as shown in Figx2. The neckband 8 is placed about the neck of the user as shown inFig. 1 and the ends 7 are secured to the wing portions 4 and 5, respectively, of the -ciently tightened about? .tlieneck of the user to move the flange member 3 toward the neck urge the bell like member" 2* against the trachea opening as shown at 22in Fig. 2 and will prevent leakage of air around the tube 1 at this point. The inner tube 15 is then slid down into the tapered tube 1 and the flange 16 brought into contact with the flange 10. The latch or turn button 13 is then rotated so that afin 14 projects over the flange-16 and the-inner tube 15 is held against dislodgment from the tapered tube 1.

The trachea connection now being in place a 'fitting '23 which may for instancebe an elbow, as shown in Fig. 2 or a plain piece of tubing and which is connected to a tubing 24 leading'from the inlet connection 25 of an artificial. larynx 26 is slid into the inner tube 15.

The artificial larynx. 26 being connected through the; trachea"connection above described with the trachea 21 and the outlet 27' of the artificial larynx being held in the moutlrof the user as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when air is expelled from the trachea 21 a tone-willbe producedby the artificial larynx 26 and this tone proceedingthrough the outlet 2'7. into the mouth of the user may be modulated and formedtherein intowords.

Vitlrthe flange 3 being loosely supported o-nthetapered tube 1 and held by the neckband 8, and the spring: 9. pressing the bell member 2 against the trachea opening andkecping;theta-peredtube 1 pressed into the trachea, it will be seen thataccidental dislodgmcnt of the trachea connection is prevented, while freedom of movement of thethroat and neck musclesis permitted. Also,; universal movement of: the connection 23-andtheattaching means to the artificial larynx is permitted withoutany disruption of the connection to the trachea. It will beapparent'that various lengths and forms of tubes maybe usedand other changes made in the structure shown without departing. from the'spirit and scope of this invention. V

lVhat is claimed is:

1.. In atrachea connection, a. tubular mem-. ber to-be inserted in a trachea, an outlet portion to-connect toan artificial voice instru- 1nent, n1eans to support thetrachea connectiononthe person of a user, and energy storing means on the outlet portion to prevent accidental dislodgment: of v the a tubular member from the trachea.

2. In a trachea connection, comprising a tubular-member for insertion in a trachea,

anoutlet portion for connection to an artificiatlarynxandmeans to su port the trachea connection on the person-o a user, a flange attachedto the T tubular member, a flange loosely supported ,on the. tubular member and pressuremeansbetween the two flanges to-prevent accidental dislodgment of the tubularxmember from the-trachea.

. 3. In a trachea connection,- compr-ising a tube having aninletportion toengage an outlet-0t a trachea, an outlet portion to attach to an inlet to an artificial voice instrument and means to support the trachea connection on the person of a user, a flange loosely supported on the outlet portion of the tube, a collar encircling the tube and attached thereto, and compression means between the collar and flange.

4. In a trachea connection, comprising a tube having an inlet portion to enter the outlet of a trachea, an outlet portion to attach to an inlet to an artificial larynx and means to support the trachea connection on the person of a user, a flange loosely supported on the outlet portion of the tube, means to prevent removal of the flange from the tube, a hemispherical collar attached to the tube and a spring between the flange and collar.

5. In a trachea connection, an outer tubular member for insertion in a trachea, an inner tube inserted in the outer tubular member for attachment to an artificial larynx, means to support the trachea connection on the person of a user and energy storing means on the outer tubular member to prevent its accidental dislodgment from the trachea.

6. In a trachea connection, a curved and tapered outer tubular member for insertion in a trachea, a curved and tapered inner tube inserted in the outer tubular member for connecting' to an artificial larynx means to sup-' port the trachea connection on the person of a-user, and energy storing means supported on the outer tubular member to prevent dislodg'ment of the outer tubular member from the trachea.

7. In a treachca connection, outer and inner tubular members for insertion in a trachea and connection to an artificial larynxrespectivelyga neck band support for the trachea connection, a flange loosely supported on the outer tubular member for attachment to the neck band, a tlangeattached to the outer tubular member and pressure means between the flanges to prevent dislodgment of the trachea connection from the trachea.

8. In a trachea connection to be supported about the neck of a user of an artificial larynx and comprising outer and inner tubular members for insertion in a trachea and connection to an artificial larynx respective;

ly, a neck band attached to the outer tubular member, pressure means on the outer tubular member cooperating with the neck band to keep the outer tubular member pressed within the trachea and means to lock the inner tubewithin the outer tube.

9. In a trachea connection to be supported about the neck of a user of an artificial larynx, an outer tube for insertion in a trachea, an inner tube for connection to an artificial larynx, a neck band support for the outer tube, a flange loosely supported on the outer tube and attached to the neck band support, a collar attached to the outer tube,

pressure means between the loosely supported flange and collar and means to hold the inner tube in the outer tube.

v 10. In a trachea connection adapted to be "supported about the neck of a user of an In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of October, 1929. I GEORGE W. 'BURCHETT, 

